Arya News - Brazil`s Chamber of Deputies could allow former President Jair Bolsonaro a big reduction in 27-year prison sentence he is serving for a coup attempt.
Dec. 10 (UPI) -- A legislative shift in Brazil"s Chamber of Deputies could allow former President Jair Bolsonaro to see a significant reduction in the 27-year prison sentence he is serving for attempting a coup.
Lawmakers approved a bill Wednesday that would reduce sentences for people convicted of anti-democratic acts, such as an attempted coup or the abolition of the rule of law.
Under the proposal, when the crimes of attacking the democratic rule of law and attempting a coup are committed in the same context, only the harsher sentence would apply instead of both penalties, Agencia Brasil reported.
The lower house, the Chamber of Deputies, approved the proposal Monday 291-148 and will be sent to the Senate.
In cases where those crimes were committed as part of a "crowd," such as the attack on government institutions in Brasilia, the law would allow sentences to be reduced by one-third to two-thirds.
Another key change would speed progression from high-security to a semi-open regime. giving prisoners more freedom of movement.
Under current rules, except for those convicted of heinous crimes, first-time offenders may qualify for a sentence reduction after serving 16% of their term in a closed regime, provided the crime did not involve violence against a person or a serious threat.
The changes could benefit several defendants, including Bolsonaro, who was convicted of leading the Jan. 8, 2023, uprising against President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
According to calculations by some lawmakers, if the bill becomes law, Bolsonaro"s sentence could fall from 27 years, three months to just over two years of actual prison time, BBC News Brasil reported.
Debate has been intense. Supporters of the measure argue it corrects what they see as an excessive accumulation of charges -- saying the crimes are similar and should not be penalized in a consecutive manner -- while critics say the proposal amounts to a form of "hidden amnesty" for those who attack democracy.
Since late November, Bolsonaro has been serving his sentence in federal police facilities in Brasilia after tampering with his electronic ankle monitor with a soldering iron, which damaged the device and turned his house arrest into pretrial detention.
If signed into law, its constitutionality ultimately could be challenged in Brazil"s Supreme Federal Court, the country"s highest tribunal.